


Rubedo

by Drakojana



Category: Video Blogging RPF, jacksepticeye - Fandom, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Demon!Anti, M/M, Magic and Alchemy, Oneshot, alchemist!Mark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 11:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13006494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drakojana/pseuds/Drakojana
Summary: Rubedo - a Latin word adopted by alchemists to define the fourth and final major stage in their magnum opus.Mark is determined to do everything he can to save his brother's life.





	Rubedo

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this in my WIPs for over half a year. But I'm finally going through everything!

His hands were shaking as he flipped through the thick rusty volume. The book was practically falling apart at its seams but the boy with raven hair couldn't care less. This was all of his knowledge. His whole life. His only hope.

When Thomas had fallen ill with a deadly disease, Mark was devastated. His brother was the only family he had left in the world. And he was the only person that supported Mark in his peculiar... interest.

The raven-haired boy made his first salve when he was 14. He had come across a spell book among his dad's collection that had a whole chapter dedicated to potions. It was a simple healing juice that required an incantation to work but Mark had crafted it successfully. Although his parents had shunned him for it, claiming that their family didn't bother with alchemy and such, the boy didn't give up. Somehow, mixing various different ingredients was so fun he had to keep doing it. And when Mark's brother had seen the smile potion making put on the younger's face, Thomas encouraged him to follow his dreams and even had gone as far as finding an old alchemy recipe book.

So when Mark heard that Thomas's illness was so serious that only a strong salve neither of them could afford could heal it, he rushed to his workshop to search for a recipe for it in his resources. He was determined to do anything he could to save his brother.

Sure, there was a worry at the back of his head that he was self-taught and too inexperienced for such strong potions. Yet Mark believed that with his resolve he could make it. He had to create it for Thomas's sake.

The book was too heavy to be held in hands for so long, so the raven-haired boy had to set it down on the table. Though the force with which he did it caused a long thud and a page or two flew out. Mark quickly caught them and put in their right places and went right back to his search.

There were thousands of recipes, each potion with a different effect, some enhancing, some damaging. But the boy was looking for just one particular one. And when his eyes laid on the title, he nearly fell to his knees, his legs going weak under him.

 

**_The Miraculous Water_ **

_It is said that this drink can rid of any disease. The recipe stolen from the immortal gods themselves, this powerful potion requires skill, patience and perseverance to make. Don't let the simplicity of the formula fool you, reader, for everything has its price._

 

Mark didn't bother with the description. He skimmed over the ingredients and thought that he should have everything somewhere. Maybe some of the items were rare and hidden at the back of the shelves and drawers but nothing seemed unusual. That is until he actually got around to crafting the potion.

Crystal clear spring water and herbs necessary for the medicine were the easiest ones to find as they were the cheapest to get. Most of the plants Mark harvested himself and kept in small pots on the windowsill. 

Then it was the time to add a wing of a bloodbathed moth and a grated tooth of a moon fox. Those were a bit less available ingredients but thankfully Mark still had some in store. With his brother ill he was running out of money and so he tried to save the spare coins for items that he really wouldn't be able to find himself.

The raven-haired boy felt proud of himself as the water slowly changed its colour when he stirred it in the pot, throwing the ingredients. Everything was going smoothly and he thought that maybe whoever wrote the book didn't expect the population of the moon foxes to go up, or thought that lightroots would die out. It did look pretty old, after all.

So Mark took one last glance at the ingredients list with a smile, ready to finish the potion. But then he froze in place, letting go of the big wooden spoon he was using for stirring the contents of the pot. And he instantly understood what the warning meant. Why the medicine was so expensive and hard to get.

Right there, at the very end. The words made the hair on the boy's back stand as he couldn't believe it at first. But it clearly said:

_A claw of a demon_

Mark didn't have that item. In his whole life, he'd never expected he'd need it. Any sort of ingredients connected to the hellish creatures were needed for poisons and curses, after all. The boy didn't bother with making any sort of salve that would be harmful.

But to think that the most miraculous medicine would contain the most cursed item in the world. There was nothing worse than meeting a demon - they were selfish, horrible creatures that took more than they gave and liked to steal human souls on any occasion they'd spot.

Mark started to hesitate as his eyes laid on the next page, where the incantation for summoning was written down. Whoever had made the book, they sure did contain instructions on obtaining every single ingredient. Demon claw included.

The boy shook his head. Sure, he had never tried summoning a hellspawn but he couldn't stop there. Thomas's life was at the stake and Mark would never forgive himself if he didn't try everything he could to save his brother.

And so the raven-haired boy took a piece of chalk in one hand and grabbed a handful of candlesticks in the other. All he had to do was to draw out the pentagram within a circle on the floor, place something burning in each corner of the upside-down star and read out the incantation.

His voice shook as he spelt out each word carefully. It was some foreign language he'd never heard of before and it must've been filled with magic, as from the first syllable he could feel the air thicken. When he was halfway through, the flames on the candles started to flicker. And once the last word was spoken, thick green smoke emerged from the circle and filled up the room. Mark coughed when it got into his lungs. It was suffocating, devoid of any oxygen.

The boy fell to his knees as his vision began to swim. He feared the ritual had gone wrong and he was about to kill himself with a stupid mistake. If he died there, there would be nobody left to help Thomas. Tears welled up in Mark's tears and he mouths an apology, feeling that it was the price someone like him had to pay for toying with creatures from hell.

But something appeared among the smoke, a thin and tall figure stepped out and with one motion of their hand, they made the air clear again. The smoke dispersed like it was never there. Mark coughed violently when the fresh oxygen flooded him, tears rolling down his cheeks.

The demon approached him, towering over the boy. Mark stared at his feet for a while, before the creature spoke up.

"What do you want, mortal?"

Each toe ended with a black, crooked, sharp claw. The skin had a dark viridian, almost black colour and its texture indicated it was accommodated to withstand the hellish temperatures.

Mark swallowed thickly. That was it, he was so close to saving his brother's life and possibly dooming his own.

"… A claw of a demon."

At first, he heard nothing in response. But the demonic entity scoffed and finally responded.

"What you're asking for is quite… Expensive. How do you plan to pay for it?"

The boy had been shaking before but now his trembling was clearly visible. All the rumours about demons leaving their victims as lifeless husks for the rest of their miserable lives terrified him. He had so much of his life left, he wanted to become even better in alchemy. But if that was the price he had to pay for Thomas's health, then he had to be ready.

Before he could speak up, though, he noticed the demon walk away. He lifted his gaze and saw the figure stand right next to the pot with the unfinished potion. The creature looked inside and after a couple of seconds lifted his hand to his mouth. With one firm bite, he ripped off its claw and spat it right into the pot.

The boy stared at him with wide eyes. He couldn't understand. Weren't demons first taking away whatever they wanted, leaving humans desperate and willing to give them everything they had just to get the smallest favours in return? Then why did this one cooperate so easily, without even saying his demands?

The creature stood in silence but he stretched out its hand towards Mark, without even sparing him a look. The thumb that was now missing a claw was bleeding, black, thick tar-like substance seeping from the wound and dripping on the floor. The boy stared at it in awe but also fear. What was going to happen to him now?

The demon scoffed in annoyance.

"Take my hand," he hissed out.

Mark quickly rushed to his feet, grabbing the other's hand. Just as he did, the creature pulled him towards himself and the boy didn't even notice when the demon turned around. He almost crashed into his chest. The demon held him close, so their bodies were touching and it made Mark's head light, suddenly all of his thoughts became a mess and he couldn't focus on anything. His vision went blurry as he looked up, to see the creature's face. He couldn't get a good look at it, the only thing he noticed was a pair of bright emerald eyes staring right back.

"Hmm…" the demon mused. "Quite a pure one, I'll admit. But… I know what you want. If I took your soul now, that would be quite unfair, wouldn't it?"

Mark felt the creature squeeze his hand. The blood was running down his arm now, staining his sleeves. Nothing in his mind made any sense, his legs kept shaking and if it wasn't for the demon holding him, he was sure he'd fall over. Something was slowly pushing his thoughts out of his head and he didn't even notice when he started drooling, his mouth hanging half-open. Even his eyes were betraying him, now halfway closed. The only thing he felt was the demon's touch. The only thing he saw, his eyes. And the only thing he heard, his voice.

"I'll be back in a month and I'll ask you again," the creature whispered right against his lips as he leant forward. "How are you going to pay for it?"

And then, he sealed the deal with a kiss. Their lips met for just a second but for Mark, it felt like an eternity. All the sensations suddenly crashed together. It stung and burned, itched and tickled. It was sweet but also spicy. Electrifying, like a spark that went through his whole body.

It seeped out the remains of his energy but before he lost consciousness, he heard the demon say one last thing.

"You humans can never pronounce things right. Don't try to use my real name again. _Anti_ is enough for your foul tongue to handle."

**Author's Note:**

> Leave kudos and a comment if you enjoyed reading, and come over to Tumblr to talk with me! I'm there on [**mantianti**](http://mantianti.tumblr.com/)!


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